


Rebirth

by Cephy



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Character Study, Episode Related, Episode: s01e13 The Parting of the Ways, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-01
Updated: 2010-10-01
Packaged: 2017-10-12 09:09:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/123257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cephy/pseuds/Cephy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor gets a chance to start over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rebirth

**Author's Note:**

> A Ninth-->Tenth Doctor regeneration fic, set at the end of The Parting Of Ways.

It was beginning. Rose was staring at him, getting frightened now, and he wished there was more time to make her understand. She was a sweet girl, really; a bit of light and innocence that came along just when he needed it most. She let him remember how marvellous it all was.

It was a mercy that the vortex hadn't permanently damaged her. But she had just been its vessel, whereas he-- well. He was a Time Lord. Him, it had recognized, and claimed, and damn the consequences.

"Doctor," Rose said, her voice thin. "What's wrong? What's happening?"

The moment came upon him-- the moment when time skipped and stretched, folding back on itself. Letting him reach right back to the beginning of him and start over, to grab onto some unrealized idea of himself and pull it forward. It was a shame, really, that there were only so many times he could do it-- the waiting possibilities, when he caught glimpses of them, were endless.

It took forever, and barely a second. Last time, all he could do was scream through it. Scream out the rage and pain and grief until it hollowed him out and left him cold, and it had haunted him even after he'd finished regenerating. When he was alone, in the silence, he sometimes thought he could hear the echoes of that scream still rattling around in the back of his consciousness.

 _This time, let me be someone who loves,_ he thought desperately, suddenly, not knowing who he was entreating-- the universe, maybe, or time itself. _Let me be someone who feels. The alternative is too lonely._

He braced himself and let it take him. Breathed through the blazing moment where everything changed.

Then it was done. He opened his eyes, and there she was-- the same and different, seen through new eyes, and with a scared look to her that she bravely tried to hide. But there she was.

He smiled.


End file.
